Letters to the Editor - 4/15/2013

Editor: Last week, a letter to the editor questioned Sen. Bob Casey's decision to support same sex-marriage in the context of his Catholicism.

As a public official who is a Roman Catholic, Mr. Casey understands that the Catholic Church strongly opposes same-sex marriage. He has said that he respects the church's position on this and many other issues. He has also said, on numerous occasions, that he commends the good work done by the church on behalf of "the least, the last, and the lost," especially the poor.

He has been very clear in his 16 years as an elected official that his Catholic faith has always informed and inspired him, but it does not specifically dictate how he votes on matters of public policy as a representative of 12.8 million Pennsylvanians of many faiths.

Mr. Casey has emphasized that he is supporting same-sex marriage as a secular institution. He firmly believes that neither the Catholic Church, nor any other denomination, should be required to confer religious or sacramental approval contrary to the tenets of its faith. As he has done throughout his career, Mr. Casey will continue to defend the religious freedom of all faiths, including the Catholic Church.

APRIL MELLODY

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR SEN. ROBERT P. CASEY JR. (D-PA)

Matters to check

Editor: What about a background check? The question is plain but ambiguous.

What background are you checking? In view of the current news it would seem to be, why do some individuals act in the way that they act? Why do they go on a sprees of shooting, at random, as many innocent victims as possible? How can we identify and restrict this type of behavior? Does a human life have a value?

In 1950 I entered college and a visiting speaker made some statements that have remained with me over the years. He allowed that our actions are the results of our thinking. He warned, "Do not let your actions be determined by the vomit of some minds."

We do not want guns in the hands of those without any concern regarding the value of the human life. Was human life the result of a spontaneous combination of chemical elements or was it the plan of a superior power with complete control? Are people qualified to begin a new life or to end a life? This background check goes a long way in determining future action.

R.B. SHAFFER

WAYMART

No inside threat

Editor: In replying to my letter concerning the historical context of the Second Amendment, Chaz Brewer displays the result of decades of right-wing fear mongering when he states that he has the right of self-defense against "...the government, who unjustly wishes to attack his family and steal his property."

The gist of my letter was that the enemies of post-Revolutionary War Americans were hostile, authoritarian European empires and domestic groups - Loyalists and Native Americans who loathed the new country and its people.

Today extremely perilous threats to the United States still lie outside our borders. These perils include the possibility of a nuclear strike upon American soil by North Korea; a fanatical, fundamentalist Islamist movement, and extensive, organized cyber attacks on America's business and scientific computer infrastructure by the Chinese military and thousands of hackers trained by North Korea.

Tea party darling Rand Paul, in his filibuster, crafted a scenario whereby U.S. citizens would be blown up in cafes by Hellfire missiles in strikes ordered by our national government.

Republican icon Sen. John McCain responded to this ginned-up paranoia from a right-wing demagogue by saying, "So we've done a, I think, a disservice to a lot Americans by making them believe that somehow they're in danger from their government. They're not."

Contrary to right-wing rhetoric there is absolutely no evidence of a force of "black helicopters" ready to attack and kill innocent Americans, steal any American's property or take over our country

Today as in the past, the blood enemies of our country lie outside our geographic borders, not within the halls of our popularly elected government.

GIRARD HISTED

ARCHBALD

No revisions

Editor: I agree with some points made by Ric West (Your Opinion, April 3) in his response to my April 1 letter regarding the proposed legislation to ban most types of semi-automatic rifles.

For example, I think that voting and community involvement and civil discussions are the preferred methods of influencing people. I dislike conflict and I try my best to avoid confrontations. But sometimes people see things differently and we have to accept that.

I have belonged to the NRA for about 40 years. I do not own a semi-automatic rifle. Most of my free time is taken up doing chores around the house, performing volunteer work at my church, and spending time with my grandchildren.

I abhor violence. I want to see all of our conflicts resolved in a civilized, rational manner. But there are some depraved lunatics out there - like the madman who murdered 26 children and teachers in Connecticut - who have no conscience or decency. And we live in a world that can quickly become very dangerous on a large scale.

Responsible Americans should be able to choose their personal firearms free from additional governmental restrictions. There are plenty of laws on the books already, and we accept them and comply with them.

When will the current administration start enforcing them, instead of just demanding new ones?

JAMES KESTER

JEFFERSON TWP.

Giddyap

Editor: At the risk of being accused of riding a dead horse, I offer this response to recent letters to the editor.

There are those who tell lies to hide the truth and those that tell half lies for they have lost the truth. And so the pathology of hatred runs straight and true.

It is no more evident than in the conclusions reached by those intoxicated by their own pompous nature. Hence they attempt to temper their unbridled hatred by claiming their love for the opposition.

Where as an adversary I have never mentioned the Republican Party, let alone the tea party, for the mid-term election disaster of 2010 is still fresh in my mind. Just to remind you, we lost the House of Representatives and nearly lost the Senate.

And though there are many reasons for this, the one that sticks out most glaringly is that like drunken fools dancing around a victory fire we spent so much time name-calling that we turned the collective stomach of electorate. That's right, we did it to ourselves.

In conclusion I offer you this, if there is so little in a name why not call yourselves "The Third Grade School Yard Bullies Association?" For it is far more apt then using the misnomer Freedom.

FRANK ESPOSITO

MOOSIC

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